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Health workers interact at the Evangelical Medical Center in eastern Congo. (AP Photo)
Seven American aid workers who had been involved in responding to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are being quarantined at a US-backed bio-isolation facility in Kenya after the US government introduced new travel restrictions requiring Americans returning from the DRC to spend 21 days in a third country before entering the United States, Reuters reported.The workers, all affiliated with the Christian humanitarian organisation Samaritan’s Purse, are undergoing a mandatory 21-day quarantine despite showing no symptoms of Ebola, according to the organisation and US officials.
First occupants of disputed facility
Franklin Graham, president and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse, said the seven members of the organisation’s Disaster Assistance Response Team had been placed under quarantine after returning from the Ebola response in eastern DRC."None of them have any symptoms, but they are being quarantined by the Kenyan government for 21 days," Graham said.A US State Department official said the group had voluntarily moved to the Kenya facility for precautionary monitoring after serving on the front lines of the Ebola response.According to the official, Kenyan authorities authorised their transfer to the facility, where they are being monitored by clinicians from the US Public Health Service.
The move, the official said, was taken "out of an abundance of caution."
US travel restrictions trigger quarantine
The development follows new travel restrictions introduced by the US government this week requiring American citizens returning from the DRC, where an Ebola outbreak is ongoing, to spend 21 days in a third country before being allowed to enter the United States.The isolation facility, located inside the Laikipia Air Base in Nanyuki, was built to accommodate asymptomatic Americans who may have been exposed to Ebola while working in the DRC or neighbouring Uganda.
Legal battle over facility continues
The quarantine comes even as the facility remains at the centre of a legal dispute in Kenya.Its construction sparked public protests and opposition after concerns were raised that the country was being used to host potentially exposed foreign nationals.The High Court had ordered construction work to stop pending the determination of a case filed by Katiba Institute.Last month, Kenya's Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale told the court that activities at the site had been halted in compliance with the order.However, reports indicate construction continued despite the court directive.Kenya's health ministry did not immediately comment on the presence of the American aid workers at the facility. A senior foreign ministry official also said they had no information about the development.A source familiar with the matter said the group arrived at the central Kenya facility earlier this week and was staying in tents equipped with army cots.According to the source, some members had directly treated Ebola patients at Samaritan’s Purse treatment centres in the DRC, while others were involved in support roles such as construction and had no direct contact with infected patients.The source added that there had been one potential high-risk exposure and that the group’s health was being monitored closely.Kenyan authorities were also reportedly restricting the workers from leaving the facility during the quarantine period.Ebola is a severe viral disease that spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected people or animals and can often be fatal.
US defends project amid public concern
The US Embassy has previously said that the Nanyuki bio-isolation facility does not pose a health risk to nearby communities, describing it as part of a broader regional strategy to prevent the spread of Ebola.The embassy has said the initiative complements ongoing support to Kenya, including strengthening disease surveillance, laboratory testing, contact tracing, border screening, infection prevention training and preparedness in high-risk counties.Washington has also committed nearly Sh1.9 billion to bolster Kenya's Ebola preparedness and response capacity.Samaritan’s Purse is among the largest international organisations involved in the Ebola response in the DRC and works alongside the World Health Organization in containing the outbreak.Earlier this month, one of its American staff members who contracted Ebola was evacuated to Germany for specialised treatment.
